Rahul’s Rae Bareli message sets 2027 template for party workers

Those who work hard would play a key role in the run-up to 2027 UP assembly elections while the shirkers are free to leave the Congress – this was the sum and substance of Rae Bareli MP Rahul Gandhi’s signal to his party’s booth level workers at a closed-door programme at Dalmau in his constituency on April 29.

While giving this indication, he reminded the party workers of the speech he delivered at the Congress Working Committee meeting at Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on April 8.

Amid loud applause, Rahul Gandhi, who is Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said, “I am not sure whether you heard my Gujarat speech. I made two to three points and spoke about the categorisation of horses- these include a racehorse, a horse used in marriages (to carry the bridegroom), while in the third category is the horse that limps. The Congress party sometimes sends the racehorse to marriage processions while the one meant for marriage is sent as a racehorse.”

“The Congress has begun the work to bring about changes in the party organisation. We will send the racehorse to run in the race. The one meant for marriage will be sent to marriage while the limping horse will be sent to the BJP, and they are going (to the BJP) as you can see,” he said.

Asking party leaders to induct more women in the party organisation, he said, “We will also have to increase the number of women here. The women are 50% of the population.” His observations assume significance as the Congress’s Sangathan Srajan programme to revamp the party organisation is underway, and the party is gearing up for the 2027 UP assembly polls.

Several senior leaders, who once held important positions in the Congress organisation in the past, have left the party and joined the BJP over the years. Those who have left the Congress include former Union ministers, MPs, MLAs, and ex-senior office bearers of the party.

“Rahul Gandhi gave us this message that only the workers will lead the party in the 2027 UP assembly elections, while the shirkers may leave. We are following this formula as we build the party organisation,” Rae Bareli District Congress Committee president Pankaj Tiwari said.

Expressing the same sentiments, Amethi District Congress Committee president Pradeep Singhal said, “Although Rahul Gandhi made these observations in Rae Bareli, we too are following this sincerely. We hope to complete the organisational revamp in the next two to three months.”

Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Rai said Rahul Gandhi has shown the way to the party men.

“Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that those fighting for the party will get a push ahead of the 2027 UP assembly polls. We are taking such workers along in the organisation building drive and ensuring that they are not left out. He has shown the path, and we are following his formula,” Rai said.